Spencer Carey, Jack Lucy among Fitzy finalists

Acknowledging support from their fans, Orono High School's Jack Lucy holds up the team's second place plaque after losing to Bucksport High School in their Eastern Maine Class C LTC Championship game in Bucksport Saturday afternoon, Nov. 12, 2011. Buy Photo

PORTLAND, Maine — Spencer Carey, who led Lawrence High School of Fairfield to its second straight Class A state championship game appearance, and standout two-way tackle Jack Lucy of Orono are among 12 semifinalists for the 42nd James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy announced Wednesday.

Carey starred at both quarterback and safety for coach Jack Hersom’s Lawrence club this fall, while the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Lucy has been the backbone of an Orono line that fueled one of Eastern Maine’s top rushing attacks in recent years under veteran coach Bob Sinclair.

“It’s no secret that we’ve run behind Jack for four years,” said Sinclair of Lucy, a four-year starter and two-year captain for the Red Riots, who played in the LTC Class C championship game in 2011 and advanced to the semifinals this fall.

“I’d call him the force behind Orono football for the last four years. He’s been a fierce competitor.”

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Lucy, who was named first-team All-LTC Class C on both offense and defense in 2011, also is the top-ranked student in Orono’s current senior class.

The Fitzy has been presented since 1971 to the state’s top senior high school football player each year, with school and community involvement and academic factors also part of the criteria.

The Portland-based award originally was reserved for Class A players, but players from all classes statewide became eligible for the award during the 1990s.

Other semifinalists are Brian Bedard of Leavitt of Turner Center, Bobby Begin of Thornton Academy of Saco, Cale Bollig of Westbrook, Tate Gale of Portland, Donald Goodrich of Cheverus of Portland, Nick Leblond of Biddeford, Dillon Russo of Scarborough, Alex Shain of Sanford, Chandler Shostak of Cony of Augusta and Kenny Sweet of Deering of Portland.

The slate of semifinalists will be narrowed to three finalists shortly before Christmas by a vote of the state’s coaches and media.

The annual Fitzpatrick Trophy banquet will be held at noon on Jan. 20, 2013, at the Holiday Inn By The Bay in Portland.